Chapter 4

( Warning: The following chapter contains disturbing sexual content and triggering moments. Read at your own discretion.)

In an apartment complex lived a man. Probably in his mid twenties. Young, handsome, and muscular. He was cooking some eggs and he added some bacon. He was humming a tune to himself as the eggs were being cooked to his liking. He then added some oregano and a little bit of salt.

After he was done, he turned off the stove and served the eggs in a plate. He then grabbed a fork, and grabbed a cup of water. He then went to the living room to serve his guest.

Or rather, his prisoner.

Nicholas was chained against a furniture stand. His mouth was gagged with a sock and he was half naked. He tried to break free and made loud noises, but nothing worked. The man pulled out the sock from his mouth and showed the plate to Nicholas.

"Eat it you brat. Eat it." said the man, only he wasn't calling him a brat. He called him despicable names that made Nicholas squirm. Since he refused to eat another bite, the man then unlocked Nicholas's chains and forced him into the bedroom.

A couple hours later, both of them were in bed, naked and dirty. Nicholas on the other hand was bruised all over. His arms hurt, his legs. Even his bottom hurt. Next to him was the man, naked as well, but he was not bruised. Nor did he experience pain and humiliation. He was the predator and Nicholas was the prey.

He slowly stood up and looked at his reflection in a mirror. He walked up to it and saw that he had a black eye and he was bleeding from the head. During the torture, the man would hit him with a TV remote. Nicholas covered his mouth with both of his hands and started to cry.

"It was foolish of you to run." said the voice of the shadow. Nicholas looked up at his reflection. He wasn't seeing himself. He was seeing a dark and tall creature of darkness with a hood and two red eyes. The robe was black from head to toe and his long grey hands with long finger nails were together.

"I offered you a chance for power. If I gave you those powers, then you wouldn't be in this situation." said the shadow.

"Please. Leave me." said Nicholas.

"I cannot do that. You are my chosen heir. I need you. And in order for me to take you, I'm going to have to take you by force!" said the shadow. He clicked his fingers and the man in bed started to scream. Nicholas turned to see his body twist and bend and his eyes were out of it's sockets. His tongue then sticked out and moved like a worm. Blood oozed from his mouth and eventually his bottom and penis. He was a spectacle of red blood and eventually he vomited out his guts. In seconds, the man became nothing but a rag of flesh and fell on his guts and blood on the bed. The shadow then came out of the mirror and turned to Nicholas.

"Take a shower. And I will clothe you with the best robes." said the shadow.

"Why?" asked Nicholas weakly.

"All in good time." replied the shadow.

After Nicholas bathed himself, he stepped out and the shadow gave him a robe. It was long and brown. Kind of like a monk's uniform.

"Forgive me for giving you this outdated garb. You see, this is how it all begins. Plain and simple." said the shadow. He grabbed Nicholas by the hand and he opened a portal of darkness. They both went through and Nicholas found himself on the top of a large building overlooking Portland.

The shadow appeared and clapped his hands together. "At last, you have come before me as I have foreseen. Welcome to your journey into the darkness Nicholas." said the shadow.

"Who are you?" asked Nicholas.

"I do not have a name. I'm simply a shadow of darkness. But you see, all shadows before me have been keeping the city of Portland in a dark abyss. What you see before you such as children suffering, people living in the streets and violence throughout the city… it's all my doing." said the shadow.

Nicholas didn't answer, but the creature moved around him, slowly like a fox hunting a rabbit.

"My days are numbered young Nicholas. You see, I have grown old and I feel weak with each passing day. Simply killing the man in the apartment took a large amount of my strength. You on the other hand are young and you will continue the work of millions before you! The legacy of Darkness!" said the shadow.

"You told me you there were others…" said Nicholas.

"Aye. There were. But they died out. You see, only one of us survives in each millenia. However, now that you are the dark one I have chosen, you must be extra careful. In the past, long ago, the dark shadows had powerful enemies of light. Soldiers who served the good angels of God. You see, they had a power that linked their hearts to emotions that are seen as "good." However, to us bad is good and good is bad. I know it's simple logic a mere child might understand, but these holy soldiers were so powerful, they wiped the shadows to extinction. Or so they thought. They too have gone, but somehow, in this very millenia, I have felt something that frightened me. The power of love and light is somehow alive." said the shadow.

"Love? Light? Your joking. Those things can't kill you." said Nicholas.

"Are you sure child? Then if that's so, where are the other shadows besides me? They are gone! Long gone! Only I survived, and soon you will continue our legacy! There is no escape Nicholas." said the shadow.

"No. This can't be." said Nicholas.

"Unfortunately it is. Once I die, you will be the next shadow. I know you are against my power, but soon child you will come to understand what is at stake today and you too will eventually rule this land with an iron fist!" said the shadow.

Nicholas stood thinking for a while and asked. "If I have this power, this means I can do whatever I want?" asked Nicholas.

"Yes! Absolutely yes! The whole world will belong to you! You will RULE with such power!" cried the shadow.

"I have the powers now, or you will have to give them to me? How does it work?" asked Nicholas.

"Simple. Seek out Professor Cold Heart and let him explain things to you. You see, he was my first heir, but he chose a slightly different path. You will find him living in a warehouse right there!" said the shadow.

"You didn't answer me clearly." said Nicholas.

"Nicholas. Find the answers yourself. You will be very pleased with what you learn. Seek out Cold Heart. But beware of your mortal rival, Dark Heart, who has appeared to give you hell." said the shadow.

Nicholas had more answers, but the shadow left, leaving Nicholas alone. However, he wasn't completely in the dark. He had a lead. He had to find this professor for answers. But if he did get those powers… would it be worth it? Would he provide a special house for himself and … who?

Nicholas stopped for a minute. Was he always alone all this time? Or was there someone else. A distant memory. A friend perhaps? A bro-

Nicholas's head began to hurt and he fell to the ground screaming. After a while, he woke up from whatever that was and he got up slowly. What was he thinking about? What was it? And it was not like he lived with someone else right? He was always alone. Or was he? Nicholas knew he had to find answers. And who should have them but Professor Cold Heart himself.

Nicholas arrived in the warehouse about twenty minutes later and went inside. Upon entering, he felt an intense cold. He hugged himself in the monk robes that the shadow gave him and he walked towards a large room made out of ice. Sitting on a chair reading a book was professor Cold Heart himself. Indeed, he looked very old and he had glasses. He looked like an average man, but he looked almost dead. His skin was deathly pale and he hardly had any teeth left..

He stood up and slowly grabbed his cane as he saw the stranger, Nicholas, enter his private living room.

"The heir I presume?" asked Cold Heart.

"I suppose." replied Nicholas.

"I know why you're here. You want to find answers about who you are. And what you will become." said Cold Heart.

"Why are you called Cold Heart?" asked Nicholas. Indeed, it was a strange name for an old man like him and this Dark Heart whoever he or she is.

"My name has stuck to me ever since my last battle with the soldiers of light. Cold Heart became my name." said the man.

"So…. if you know why I'm here, then you know what I'm about to ask." said Nicholas.

"Yes. You are wondering if your power gives you what you desire. Yes it does. The power you are gifted by the last shadow will give you everything you ever dreamed of. With it, you may rule the world. With it, you may have all the pleasure you desire and you won't let anyone tell you what to do. In fact, you may even have riches beyond belief!" cried Cold Heart.

"Then why did YOU refuse it?" asked Nicholas, somewhat skeptical.

"I was a foolish boy. And the shadow never liked me. He was the one who disowned me. I forever curse him for this. But should you ever become powerful, do not, and I repeat do not forget about me." said Cold Heart.

"I will never be like him. But…. there's something else. There is someone I lost. I don't know who it is. But I see a silhouette of somebody I loved and that person is far away from me. I don't know who it is, or what he wants. At least, I'm sure it's a boy. But is he really? What did I see? And who is he?" asked Nicholas.

"Illusions. You see things that your brain is trying to show you, to get you off track. Do not believe in these illusions. There is nothing to see." said Cold Heart.

"But I see something special. Someone is waiting for me…" Nicholas was beginning to say when his head began to hurt again.

"Oh this will never do boy. Quick! Drink this ice cold water! It should calm your nerves." said Cold Heart, handing him a glass of water.

Nicholas drain it and then soon his body began to ache. "What did you do?" asked Nicholas.

"The water I gave you is special. You see, the shadow wishes for you to get stronger. You have drank a special drug that gives you a more excellent physique. Everything about you will improve. Your muscles, your hormone level, your endurance to physical attributes and even your sex drive! You will feel powerful urges to destroy and gratify yourself however you please!" exclaimed Cold Heart.

The shadow appeared before them both as Nicholas was feeling a sharp pain all over his body. It was a sensation of numbness and coldness.

"Did you give him what I asked." said the shadow.

"Yes my lord. He will be in tip top shape." said Professor Cold Heart.

"How do I know you didn't poison him." said the shadow.

"Please, my life was on the line. If I killed him like I intended, you would kill me. But your heir is alive and well. You have no choice but to spare me." said Cold Heart.

The shadow felt Nicholas's ice cold forehead and the shadow turned to see Cold Heart.

"Indeed. He won't die. Wonderful. Then he will be powerful. Nicholas, kill Professor Cold Heart." said the shadow.

"What?" asked Cold Heart.

Nicholas stood up. "No… what is going on…"

Nicholas closed his eyes, then he opened them. They were blood red and he looked at Cold Heart with hatred.

"No. We had a deal!" cried Cold Heart.

Nicholas moved his arm up and extended his hand. Just then, his hand became hot, and he shot out what appeared to be a ball of black flame. It was then shot right through Professor Cold Heart. He gasped in surprise, then fell to the floor. Seemingly Dead.

"Well, he was a foolish old man." said the shadow.

Nicholas looked at the shadow and kneeled before him. "My lord. I'm at your service." he said slowly.

The shadow lowered himself to Nicholas's level and placed his skeletal hand on his shoulder. And with a chilling voice he whispered.

"Wouldn't thou love to live deliciously?"

Nicholas nodded and then his brown robes turned into a different color. They were now grey.

"Wonderful. You took another important step. Acceptance. Now it's time for your next trial. Come." said the shadow as he pulled Nicholas into another dark portal.

After they left, and the portal closed, Beastly came into the room.

"Professor, I brought your Popcorn. As you order… oh crap."

He said upon seeing Cold Heart's corpse.

"Ah!" cried what appeared to be Cold Heart himself.

"Professor!" cried Beastly.

"G-get my sedative! It appears we have a new enemy!" cried Cold Heart.